This is a question for the seasoned vets, that have experience with both training and long trips.

I have two trips coming up. 1. Two months this winter (bouldering in Hampi) 2. Two months this summer (bouldering near Rocklands)

I have a history of overuse injuries that usually hit after 3-4 months of bouldering. It's seems like I'd have learned my lesson after 10 years of climbing.

I've also never trained before, and would follow the "just climb" method. This obviously doesn't work for people who boulder 95% of the time and do long easy trad the other 5%.

So, here it is.. I began training 4 months ago with the idea that this will prevent me from missing all or part of a trip to injury. I plan on finishing my power endurance phase 2.5 weeks before I leave for India and just do lots of ARC with the occasional day of bouldering to keep my strength up. This will give me 2 months of something equal to power training. Though 2 months is well below my usual injury threshold, I'm planning a one week break in the middle, just to be safe. My top choice is to do a one week yoga camp, but I'm worried one week of rest in the middle of two blocks of power training is a bad idea. Would it be better just to do sh!t tons of easy VB-V4 instead? OR better yet, should I just say f- it and boulder hard the whole time, since that's what I'm there for? Yes, I will take plenty of rest days either way.

I want to come out of India stronger and healthy for my S. Africa trip, but also don't want to over do it. I'm just not sure if all this training "buys" me two straight months of crushing.

The topic of how to prep for long bouldering trips is a good one, and timely as so many climbers are now doing bouldering road trips. Thanks for bringing it up.

Honestly, the training you are doing will not buy you two months of crushing. There are a number of reasons for this, not the least of which being that you have never trained before, and because it sounds like you are doing a type of training that is not geared towards bouldering. It sounds like you are doing a modified general periodization that is typically used by route climbers.

Here are a few things to think about. 1) Two months is a long trip and its not reasonable to think you will climb at the highest level for that entire time. Even if you only consider the most basic pragmatic issues such as jet lag and learning a new area it will take 2 - 3 weeks before you are really in a position to climb your very best at an area you've never been to before.

Think about giving your trip some structure. Consider a few weeks of adopting and learning, then think about how you want to mix on-sighting and projecting as you should do a good bit of both. In addition after you have gotten to you destination think about how the climbing is effecting you and come up with a rest schedule based on the impact of the climbing.

2) If you have a history of over use injuries, this history is your first concern when developing a program to prep for a trip. Do you tend to injure the same things over and over again or do you get new injuries? You need to spend some time learning how, why and where you get injured so you can create a scheme that reduces your injury risk and allows you to climb / train at the level you want. Just resting will not prevent over use injuries.

3) Also notice that your post contains two different goals; you want to crush in Hampi AND you want to be strong and healthy for SA. Are these two goals consonant with one another? They might be, but that also might not be. For a climber with a history of injury it would be very easy for you to come out of Hampi needing rest and rehab.

There is a lot more to say on the topic but I'm out of time. Good luck.

Thanks for your post. I'm aware this isn't the best training program for a boulderer, but I was hoping it would help build my weaknesses, and seemed like an easier 1st run at training. I'm not sure it's the best plan, it just seemed like a good idea, but I have no basis for it.

I know it will take me a while to crush when I get there. By doing ARC before the trip I figured I could start building power again after I get there.

To answer one of your questions all of my overuse injuries have come from either A) working in a gym (and climbing) then climbing outdoors on my days off, or B) finding a new area and trying to develop it, often forgetting to rest all together. I almost feel like a lack of rest days is the single biggest factor in my injuries. The only exception was a mild (relatively) rotator cuff injury when I was able to pull a one arm, but wouldn't do pushups to save my life.

What are some good sources to better tailor my training for bouldering without overdoing it? I'm 33 now and that plays a factor as well. Remember though, I live in Korea and can't get any of the books that you guys talk about on here, such as the self coached climber. I did borrow a copy of One Move Too Many from a friend, but other than that, web based sources are all I can get. Does anyone have some samples of a 3-4 month traning program for boulderers?

I have added lots of antagonist workouts to help counter some imbalances I've experienced in the past. I've also planned on adding in more multipitch days to try to distract me from bouldering.

It's true, I do have two separate goals... 3 if you count developing bouldering areas in the spring. Right now I'm struggling to find the proper balance.

BTW: I can't access any articles from Horst's web site. Is anyone else having problems pulling up the articles? I read his Training for Climbing book years back, but left it with a friend in the states when I left a few years ago.

I'm aware this isn't the best training program for a boulderer, but I was hoping it would help build my weaknesses, and seemed like an easier 1st run at training. I'm not sure it's the best plan, it just seemed like a good idea, but I have no basis for it.

Right, you DO need to start somewhere with training so doing a simple periodization scheme can be a good learning experience. It usually takes 3 or so complete periodization cycles before an athlete really knows what they are doing and what to expect.

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I know it will take me a while to crush when I get there. By doing ARC before the trip I figured I could start building power again after I get there.

My thought is that you would be better served by base building through bouldering. This would allow you to increase your stamina, and get you to the start of your trip in a very good position to take best advantage of your time there. ARCing is pretty far removed from your goals (I say this as a long time advocate of ARCing.)

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To answer one of your questions all of my overuse injuries have come from either A) working in a gym (and climbing) then climbing outdoors on my days off, or B) finding a new area and trying to develop it, often forgetting to rest all together. I almost feel like a lack of rest days is the single biggest factor in my injuries. The only exception was a mild (relatively) rotator cuff injury when I was able to pull a one arm, but wouldn't do pushups to save my life.

This is helpful but what I was really getting at was the injuries themselves, what were they diagnosed as? What kind of treatment did you do? What are you doing now, other than rest, to prevent injury?

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I have added lots of antagonist workouts to help counter some imbalances I've experienced in the past.

What were these specific imbalances and how did you diagnose them?

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It's true, I do have two separate goals... 3 if you count developing bouldering areas in the spring. Right now I'm struggling to find the proper balance.

Having different goals can be a good thing and makes climbing fun, but as you say finding the balance is the trick. I think that the goals of going on these trips, and developing new bouldering areas should fit together quite well if you stay healthy.